iFood, Itaú and Tembici come together to expand the fleet of sustainable vehicles in the country's largest capital. Check out a question-and-answer question about the new feature
After Rio de Janeiro (RJ), now it is São Paulo's (SP) turn to count on electric bicycles in the city's bike sharing service, the Bike Sampa. On World Bicycle Day (3/6), the capital of São Paulo receives the first e-bike units to make up its temporary rental fleet this year. sustainable vehicle.
With the new 500 electric bikes — a number planned for the initial stage and which will gradually integrate the service — São Paulo will have 3,100 bicycles in the sharing service (2,600 in the conventional model) distributed across 260 stations throughout the capital.
It will be very easy to identify the new electric bikes in São Paulo. They will be orange, like the conventional ones, but will have the iFood (on the left side) and Itaú (on the right side) stickers. The two companies are partnerships with Tembici and the City of São Paulo in this action. In the basket, on the front of the bike, the white sticker will bear the logo of both brands.
The initiative not only meets the city of São Paulo's commitment to sustainability but also expands the possibility of using a non-polluting mode, both for those who just want to move around the city and for those who do delivery.
São Paulo, as well as Rio de Janeiro, Salvador (BA), Recife (PE), Brasília (DF) and Porto Alegre (RS), already has electric bicycles as part of the city's mobility thanks to the iFood Pedal, a project resulting from the partnership between iFood and Tembici and exclusive use for delivery men and women.
Now, in addition to the models intended for delivery — and which remain available to delivery people at the company's support points foodtech Brazilian —, the capital of São Paulo will have more e-bikes available so that the entire population can make use of this democratic, accessible and sustainable mode.
- Democratic because anyone registered with Bike Sampa and who knows how to ride a bicycle can use it to travel any type of route.
- Accessible because the electric model facilitates longer journeys and over different terrains, as it requires less effort from the pedaler (goodbye, sweat!).
- Sustainable because it emits a total of zero CO particles2 to the atmosphere.
“This partnership is an important step in iFood's commitment to our goals of reducing carbon emissions, as it expands the possibilities of delivery people who are not restricted to iFood Pedal. iFood follows its commitment and mission to be the best possible partner for the platform's couriers by also enabling the possibility of renting modes, such as conventional and electric bikes”, says Fernando Martins, head of logistics innovation at iFood. So far, iFood has already made 3 million green deliveries, those made by conventional or electric bicycles.
Answer questions about Bike Sampa’s new electric bikes
I'm a delivery man/courier, will I be able to use Bike Sampa's electric bikes too?
Yes. Bike Sampa's electric bicycles are intended for the entire population, for any type of travel (because it is democratic). In other words, to use an e-bike for delivery you do not necessarily need to subscribe to the iFood Pedal service.
How many km will I be able to do with the electric bike?
The total will depend on factors such as climate, relief and the condition of the cyclist. But, on average, a person can cycle 8 to 10 km with an electric bicycle compared to 2 to 5 km with the conventional model.
How much will the electric bike rental cost?
It will have an additional cost starting at R$ 2.50, for 15 minutes, with each withdrawal, on the full plan. There will be no change in plan values for those registered with Bike Sampa nor specific plans for electric bikes. Just have an active plan and you will be able to ride the electric bike.
Which stations will receive the electric bike?
For the project's inauguration event, on World Bicycle Day, the station chosen to receive the first electric bicycle units was Praça Roosevelt, in the city center.
But the project's priority will be to supply stations with greater travel demand and that are in a location where the use of an electric bicycle makes a difference, such as those located on high terrain. As use is shared, this means that the e-bikes can be at any of the 260 service stations.
Tip: keep an eye on the app, which will have a lightning icon indicating, in real time, the stations that have electric bikes.
What is the battery life of an electric bike?
The autonomy is 60 km, but may vary according to use. The electric bike's battery is responsible for operating the pedal assist, the intelligent system that activates the vehicle's engine after a few pedal strokes. There is no accelerator and the bike's speed is limited to 25 km/h. All of this makes the trip more comfortable, requiring less effort from the cyclist, and safe. If the battery runs out, the bike continues to work, just without that extra help (then the engine goes back to being the legs!).
How will the bike battery be recharged?
Every day, e-bikes will be removed from stations for preventive maintenance. It is at this moment that the batteries will be recharged by Tembici before becoming available to everyone again.
Can I ride the electric bike anywhere?
Yes, understanding that “anywhere” means any public road, on dedicated structures (cycle paths and cycle lanes) or sharing space with other modes of transport. The use of a helmet is mandatory.
5 thousand tons of less CO2 in São Paulo
Bike Sampa has already saved more than 5 thousand tons of CO₂ and this could increase. According to the study “Micromobility in the global south”, recently released by Tembici, 52% of the people who responded to the survey stated that they would travel in motorized modes if they did not use a bicycle, which reinforces the importance of this mode and its contribution to the environment .
Furthermore, 27% of respondents combine use with other means of transport, 82% being buses or metro. In the city of São Paulo, 1 in 5 shared bicycle trips begin or end at subway stations or bus terminals, and electric bikes can increase these numbers by encouraging intermodality, a fundamental characteristic for route connectivity.
